Weather

life in a boat

Boats cabins (rooms) are usually equipped to meet all your needs but they are not very large. We recommend you to bring easily collapsible bags enabling you to place your belongings in cabins. You should bring beach towel, sun glasses, sun cream, sports shoes for short land tours, hat, and, of course, your book. A light cloth will protect you from Cool summer evenings. If there is medicine you should take regularly, please don’t forget to bring them and you must provide information on this issue to the boat captain and relatives.

Walking around deck and cabins with shoes is strictly prohibited, If you are offended by walking barefoot on a boat, you must bring special boat shoes or soft-soled slippers. All yachts have limited water tanks so you should be careful about water consumption and wasting water should be avoided. Smoking is strictly prohibited inside the boat, we kindly request that you should be sensitive in this regard. Smoking on deck is allowed but you should be considerate about others and be careful on windy weather deck. You maximum attention is requested to avoid unwanted situations.

You have to keep your special belongings in a safe place in order to prevent them fly off to the sea especially on the way. Toilets must be used clean and toilet paper should be discarded to the trash can. Foreign matters must be discarded to toilets otherwise toilets can be become out of use easily till end of trip. You should give information to captain when you leave the boat in harbors and bays and watch for hours of departure. The captain should be informed on everything and be aware of unusual circumstances. You should not jump to sea till engine stops and captain lets you especially during docking and anchoring.

Service boats, water sports equipment should not be used without the knowledge of the captain. All portholes (cabin windows) should be kept closed on cruising times. You should be careful walking on varnish-painted floors inside the boat especially with bare feet, you can easily slip. You should inform the captain regarding chronic disturbances and allergic problems before the tour and all the precautions like bringing medicine and medical tools in case. You could be miles away the land or a medical facility when you have a crisis.

You should participate to all briefs given by captain, and ask questions when you don’t understand. Captain might change the route or the stops if He deems necessary for the safety of life and property (i.e. weather or sea conditions) and his decisions are final.
First comply with the Code of Safety

in a cruising sailing boat where to seat have importance. You should ask where to hold on and where to seat. You should listen the captain carefully especially during tacks (turning with sails on). Do not walk around deck without shoes during sailing, you can lose your balance and fall down. Do not do anything without asking likes loosening of the ropes (knots), playing with winches, cranes and pulleys. Do not touch electronic devices.

You should learn the locations of life jackets on board and listen to the captain carefully about how to use them. You should put them on if the captain wants (especially rough weather and night voyages). Do not forget that challenging the captain is not proper with the boat life. Those who objected will be left to the first deserted island. If you fall into the sea, do not swim to the boat; just swim to the life jacket or life sling thrown to you from the boat. Just try to stay float on sea, don’t change your location and try to not get excited. Boat will come back to you, it is just maneuvering.

If you see someone else fall into sea, immediately throw life sling or life jacket, notify the captain, shout “Man overboard”. Try not to lose that person from your view. Learn how to use fire extinguishers and locations of them (Very Important). Do not smoke especially inside the boat, flammable and explosive gases from the batteries can cause fire. After putting on sun cream on your skin, do not lay without a towel, otherwise oily area may cause an accident. Do not untie any knots without prompting. Ask the captain to where to dry your swimsuits and towels.

When you go down inside the boat (cabins), turn your back stepping down the stairs and hold on to side handles. Apply the principle of three-points (especially on the deck). During the cruise you must close all the hatches in your cabin. In saloon or cabin, stow away all heavy or breakable things like glass bottles, kitchen ware, pots and pans. Do not put anything on navigation table, if captain put something on navigation table, do not take it. When you use the swimming ladder, gently turn your back and go down the stairs.

Water Usage

You should use water carefully because of the limited fresh water supply on the boat. It is just like your home and there is a 3 day water water cut. For example take your shower once after your last swim. You will jump to sea many times throughout the day so using shower each time will be waste of fresh water. Also you would be a target for bees who can not find fresh water. Dishes are washed with sea water, rinsed with fresh water. Vegetables in particular can be washed with sea water. You can cook potatoes, eggs, stewed octopus with sea water.

Use of Toilet

Take a short briefing from captain regarding using boat toilets. Nothing can be thrown into the boat toilet including toilet paper. It is a good idea turn on the music before you use toilets. You will be more comfortable if you consume soft drinks less. If you pump lots of sea water to toilets, dirty water tanks will be filled quickly then boat have to sail out to pump out the dirty water. When finished, leave small amount of water in the toilet bowl, so that it would not smell.

Use of Electricity

All the energy required for the boat comes from batteries. So close all curcuits when you don’t use. Lamps need to be turned off immediately after the use. One of the most important things is refrigirators and also one of the biggest consumer of electricity. Door of refrigirator must be closed within a very short period of time. You should buy cold drinks from market so that refrigirator works less.

Food containers should be sealed in a way not to leak into refrigirator. Food containers should be placed in an unbreakable way or not to fall over. There is 12V power onboard supplied from batteries. Mobile phone, notebook, mp3 player can be charged by car adapter. Do not to charge your devices unless you really need them. 220V will be possible only in some places which use land line connection. Many places use generator and do not supply 220V to boats.

Waste and Environmental Pollution

Do not throw anything to sea which yourself or fish can not eat or which will create visual pollution. Use soap and detergent as little as possible. Buy marine type cleaers. Sound can be heard from far away on the sea very easily. Be careful about the noise. Your conversations and music must not disturb other boats. Turn off the music and conversations during the captain's commands on maneuvers.

In summary

» Life jackets are under your bed.
» Never ever press any buttons you do not know. Never change direction or location of a valve or hose. If you see or feel problem, do not intervene and please immediately inform the captain.
» Never throw toilet paper, hair, trash, to toilets. Do not throw butts. There's nothing more inconvenience than a toilet which does not work at sea.
» If you feel a discomfort in your body, contact the captain.
» Do not smoke in the cabins in terms of risk of fire and smoke alarms.
» Please do not to use cups without protectors.
» Do not leave electrical equipment plugged in unattended, especially in your cabin.
» Cruising in: please be carefull about using fresh water and electricity.
» Use areas are limited in boats; place your possessions, especially fragile ones, in places which will not fall and break with waves. Ask for empty place for you lugguage.
» Never use regular shoes in boat. Never wander inside the boat barefoot to prevent possibility of skin damage due to chemicals used to clean boats and sensitivity of wooden material. Instead try using towel socks.
» Use the hooks to fix your you cabin doors. Because of waves doors can move violently and can cause serious injury.
» Be careful to not forget to close hatches especially during cruising or washing.
» Deck polyester surfaces are extremely slippery, especially when wet and can cause severe injury.
» Life at Sea is literally collective. The person %100 responsible for your comfort and your safety on board is the captain. Please cooperate with them.

While there are some many rules, the sea life is still very beautiful.